NCAA Blindfold Brackets: Now Even Blinder

Everyone’s got an excuse for why their NCAA Tournament bracket crashed and burned. But few recognize one of the biggest culprits: the subconscious mind. You favor your alma mater too much and make irrational picks against your school’s biggest rivals. You think your favorite conference can do no wrong. You’re a sucker for the color red.

That’s precisely why the Journal invented Blindfold Brackets. Readers who sign up at WSJ.com will find each of the 68 teams in the field with a fake nickname – say, the Dragonflies or the Jellyfish – and a profile that presents strengths and weaknesses without giving away the team’s identity. (Here’s a look at last year’s version – this year’s will get players through the game faster and allow contestants to compare their scores with each other.)

Liberated from their biases, fans who value three-point shooting and experience above all else can finally pick a team they hate the most without it weighing on their consciences.

The NCAA announces its field Sunday night. Check back here after that and enter your picks. All you need is a Facebook or Twitter account. The reader with the most accurate bracket will win a personalized, hand-made hedcut – the Journal’s trademark dot drawing.

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